


Merry Happy

by buttercookiesandtea



Category: Sex Education (TV)
Genre: F/M, Unrequited affection, follows each episode, in which Otis is horribly dense, time to join this train
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-02-29 05:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18772582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buttercookiesandtea/pseuds/buttercookiesandtea
Summary: Eve McKinley didn't think that her life would get this complicated when she met Eric Effiong and Otis Milburn. She didn't expect to be dragged into their little duo, and she definitely didn't expect to fall in love with Otis and compete for his attention.Follows the progression of the first season, the second season story is in progress.





	1. The Girl in the Burgundy Jumper

**Author's Note:**

> I decided it was time to jump on this train. This has actually been sitting with my other stories since the first season premiered, I proceeded to watch it three times before writing this up.
> 
> So it's time to meet Eve McKinley, my newest OC.

**Chapter 1**

**The Girl in the Burgundy Jumper**

Eve McKinley watched the students flow past her, her sketchpad open in front of her. The pencil scratched across the page like it had a mind of its own, taking down all the details of the first day of the new term. There were the Untouchables, remarking at everyone unfortunate to walk within hearing distance of them. Most of the class was engaged in some way across the front lawn, Eve’s pencil sketching out the rough lines of their bodies. Next came the bicycle rack, and Eve’s fingers reached for her colored pencils to capture Eric Effiong’s latest wardrobe explosion. The blue plaid of his pants continued on to be used on the jacket of the boy standing next to him, a block of red joining the blue on the jacket.

Everyone in the art department knew of Eric, but not many knew about him. Eve paused in her sketching to watch the pair. The friend was tall with messy brown hair, he could easily make Eve feel like a dwarf. She wasn’t short by any means, but Eve didn’t like looking up at people as a general rule.

With the bell, the entire student body filed into the school. Eve brushed off her jeans after standing and tucked her things into her bag. She dropped her bag in her locker before heading towards assembly, knowing that there would be enough time to grab it before her first class. Most of the assembly was spent looking at the patterns and colors the other students wore for the first day and wondering how she could recreate the red of Jackson Marchetti’s jacket under the stage lights.

When they were finally dismissed, Eve plugged in her headphones and waited until most everyone had left. Only she, Eric and his friend, and a half-dozen other students were still in the assembly hall when she stood.

Eve took out one headphone as she passed the pair, the music of the Doobie Brothers blasting. “For the record, I like the blue tones in your pants,” she told Eric. “It’s a good decision with the pattern.”

“Thanks.” He seemed genuinely surprised. “I like your jumper.”

“Thank you.” Eve pushed up the sleeves of her burgundy jumper. “I just thought you should know someone else around here appreciates your choices. Have a good one boys.” She flashed a smile and put in the loose headphone before heading for her locker, her boots tapping against the floor. She had been right, the friend did make her feel short.

“What was that?” Otis Milburn stared after the mystery girl in the oversized burgundy jumper.

“No clue, but I like her.” Eric preened a bit. “She likes my pants.”

Eric stumbled across Eve in first period. She was sketching out the beginnings of a face in partial profile when he set his bag down next to her in English. Eve looked up and smiled.

“I didn’t expect to see you here, Eric Effiong,” she greeted.

“How do you know who I am, but I don’t know who you are?” Eric leaned on the desk.

“The art department keeps tabs on interesting people,” was all she revealed.

“And yet you don’t know Otis.”

“Then he’s tried very hard to be inconspicuous. Is that your friend?”

“Yeah, Otis Milburn, best friend extraordinaire.”

“Then I look forward to meeting him officially sometime, seeing as how we’re likely to be working together for class.” Eve set down her pencil. “I’m Eve, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you. Nice music by the way, you and Otis have similar tastes.” Eric shook her hand.

The morning passed quickly. Eric tried to copy the little doodles Eve left for him in his notebook, and insisted that he and Otis hunt her down during lunch block to show her. They found her outside by one of the mural walls, sketchbook out again and colored pencils strewn around her. Eric plopped down beside Eve, cradling his notebook to his chest.

Eve was in the middle of adding brown shading to dirty blond hair when Eric arrived. She pressed her lips together to hide a smile and finished the section of hair before setting down her colored pencil and taking out her headphones. The Rolling Stones blared out before she paused the music on her phone. “What can I do for you, Eric?”

He nearly shoved his notebook over hers and gestured for Otis to sit. Eric watched intently as Eve looked over his copies of her doodles, Otis leaning around his friend to get a good look at the girl in the burgundy jumper.

“Not bad, but be lighter on your pencil next time, yeah? I can see all the lines you erased.” Eve grinned and handed back the notebook. “Hi, you must be Otis. I’m Eve, I have English with Eric.”

Otis shook her extended hand, noticing the faint graphite smudges on the outside of her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Eve returned to her shading, and Eric spoke up. “You told Adam where you live?”

“He asked me,” Otis defended.

“Dude, your mom has a lot of weird sex shit in the house.” Eric tucked away his notebook.

Otis widened his eyes and nodded faintly at Eve. “Eric…”

“Oh she’s fine. I mean, I’m cool with it, obviously, but if that guy even sees a Kama Sutra he will destroy your life.” They both looked over to where Adam was fighting with a branch.

“She won’t be home.”

“She better not be. He still calls me tromboner. It’s been four years.”

“He’s a jagweed.” Eve spoke up, not taking her eyes from her shading.

Otis snorted. “You did get an erection, on stage, in front of the entire school.”

“It was a semi!” Eric defended.

“Definitely an unwarranted nickname,” Eve added.

“Thank you, Eve.” Eric snatched Otis’ candy and offered her some before taking some for himself. “It doesn’t even make sense. I play the French horn. He’s such a philistine.”

“Look, he’ll be in my house for an hour, tops. It will be fine.” Otis shrugged.

Eric chewed for a moment. “D’you reckon his brain is so small because his dick is so big?”

“That’s a myth.” Otis’ eyes flicked over to Eve.

“No it’s not.” Eric grabbed for more candy.

“It is a myth,” Eve echoed.

Eric tsked at her. “A friend of a friend saw it once. She said it was the size of two coke cans, one on top of the other. Length, and width.”

Otis grinned. “You don’t have any friends, except me.”

“Not anymore. I have Eve now.” Eric handed her more candy. “Besides, you’re not long for this world, because Adam is going to kill you in your own home.”

Otis leaned over his best friend and snatched his candy back. “Do you hear this Eve?”

She looked up and stared him down. “While the dick thing is a myth, Adam will definitely kill you in your house if you let him inside.” Eric sniggered and mimicked Eve when she put a hand over her heart and stared off into the distance. “We are here to remember Otis Milburn, who was killed by his own decisions.”

Otis swatted at Eric who then passed it on to Eve. “Hey!”

Eve grinned and clambered over Eric to grab his candy bag. “Just having a bit of fun. Thanks for the dessert, Otis, I like sweet candy almost as much as I like sweet boys.”

She heard the next day just how awful Adam’s visit turned out, from the discovery of his mum’s office to her saying the words man milk. Otis pointedly left out the awkward conversation with his mum after that, not wanting her to know just that much about his life. Eric had somehow already integrated Eve into their little duo, making it a trio.

Eve tugged on Adam’s arm after he slammed Eric into the lockers. “Would you just fuck off, Adam?” Anwar came to the rescue, but not before insulting Eric as well. “What a dick.”

He’d only known Eve for a day, but it continually surprised Otis when she cursed. She didn’t seem like the type of person that would do that often, but she always had a solid delivery when needed.

And then the video circulated. Before they’d left school the day prior, Eric had gotten Eve’s number and created a group chat between the three of them. Otis’ phone exploded with texts, so he was fielding messages while dealing with Adam’s Viagra accident. By the time he made it to lunch, he’d managed to calm down both Eric and Eve, but that didn’t stop them from swarming him.

“Otis! Are you okay?” Eve was looking up at him again, but found she didn’t mind it as much. She settled for grabbing his jacket sleeve before Eric slammed into Otis.

“Shit, I’m so sorry!”

“It’s okay, I’m fine.” Otis shrugged off his friend. “Let’s just have lunch.”

Eve was doing details on a landscape, Otis and Eric sitting across from her and chatting, when Adam called for everyone’s attention. She’d just taken a bite of her apple when Adam dropped trousers, and apple spewed across the table. She watched as Eric’s mouth dropped open and Otis almost choked on his soda.

Otis was mortified. Adam was up on that table because of what he’d said in the bathroom, and people were taking pictures. He was frozen until Adam picked up his jeans and got down off the table, then he turned to his friends.

“There’s something I need to tell you.”


	2. The Girl in the Black Cardigan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah yes, Aimee's infamous party, when the ball really gets rolling. Or, in which Eve starts to have Feelings.

**Chapter 2**

**The Girl in the Black Cardigan**

Eve’s phone was blowing up with messages from Eric.

_ It’s Aimee’s party tonight, you going? _

**_To a party? No!_ **

She was fully expecting a small explosion in response to that, but what she got instead was weirder.

_ Otis is wearing a tie and he won’t tell me why _

_ He’s being very odd today, more so than usual _

**_And?_ **

_ Find out why! _

Eve sighed. She was waiting out for the boys to arrive this morning, she supposed, rather than continuing her portrait series.

“You’re wearing a tie,” she pointed out when they pulled up beside her. Otis just shot a look at Eric and didn’t answer her. When his phone rang, Otis panicked. Eve waited for him to calm down, and when he didn’t and practically threw his phone, she pulled both Otis and Eric down behind the bush. “What is going on with you?”

“Seriously, explain.” Eric gestured for Otis to continue.

“I did something stupid. Maeve asked me to set up this sex therapy thing to help students with their problems, for money, and I agreed, and I’m thinking I shouldn’t have because I’m all confused and hot,” Otis spluttered.

“She wants you to be a sex therapist?” Eric clarified.

“Yes!”

“But you can’t even wank!” Eric revealed. Eve was surprised, Otis was so disoriented that he hadn’t noticed that his secret had been spilled in front of her.

This didn’t seem like it should be something she was privy to. So Eve stood and faced away from them, her arms crossed, looking for all the world like she was just watching the crowds around her. The boys stood only when the bell rang.

“I think I wanna hang out with her,” Otis was saying when she tuned back in. Eve made a note to bug Eric about who “she” was.

“Mhmm, of course you do. Now lose the tie.” Eric had his hands on his hips, so Eve helped Otis tug off the tie. She shoved it in her bag for safekeeping against his protests.

“Oh for the love of-” she threw her hands in the air. “I’ll give you back your weird tie at the end of the day if it makes you feel better.”

“You think it’s weird?” Otis trailed her inside.

“It clashed horribly with your shirt. You look better as is, anyways.” Eve tugged on Otis’ sleeve and pointedly ignored Eric.

“Really?” They stopped at Otis’ locker.

“Really. Now stop fussing.” Eve straightened out his collar before catching sight of Maeve Wiley heading directly for them. “I’ve got to take care of a couple things, I’ll catch up with you later, yeah?”

_ From E: Otis is already with a client _

**_Really? That’s fast_ **

_ She vommed while giving a bj _

**_Things I didn’t want to know today include that_ **

_ OMG he was talking about other animals that give oral _

**_Oh jeez. How incredibly awkward_ **

_ Okay so when are you arriving at Aimee’s party _

**_I already told you I’m not going_ **

_ Oh for the love of all things sacred, will you at least help me convince Otis to go? _

Eve squinted at her phone. Parties were always filled with disappointment, and it wasn’t as if she was the poster child for attending parties of any kind.

_ You can meet his mum _

**_Deal_ **

Hours later found Eve knocking on the door to a quaint red brick house. She shifted foot to foot until the door opened. “Are Otis and Eric here?”

“They are,” the woman on the other side of the door hedged. “And you are?”

“I’m Eve McKinley, I’m a friend from school. You wouldn’t happen to be Otis’ mum, would you?”

“Call me Jean. Come in, darling.” Jean opened the door wider for Eve, and suddenly she understood just why Otis was in a panic over Adam coming over. Suggestive art covered the walls and small statues littered shelves and tables. “Would you like something to drink?”

“Just water would be great.” She followed Jean into the kitchen. “Is that an O’Keefe?”

“It’s a print, not a full canvas. Otis convinced me a few years ago that if I was going to decorate the kitchen like the rest of the house, it needed to be subtle.” Jean handed Eve a glass and shared a conspiratorial smile. “This is what we agreed on.”

“He didn’t know about the hidden meanings in her flower series, did he?”

“Unfortunately for him, no.” Jean sat at the table. “Are you here for movie night?”

“I’m not sure, actually. Eric just insisted that I meet them here and not be wearing a jumper.” Eve gestured to her black cardigan. “I found a loophole.”

Eric thundered down the stairs. “Eve, come upstairs right now.”

Eve took a drink and set down her glass. “Sorry Jean, duty calls.” She rushed Eric, who screeched before seeing her cardigan. He nearly pushed her up the stairs.

“I thought I told you no jumpers,” he accused.

“It’s not a jumper, it’s a cardigan! There’s a difference! Besides, I’m wearing it over a cropped bustier,” she was shoved through a doorway, “so it’s not like I can’t flaunt what little I’ve got!” Eve tugged off her cardigan to throw at Eric, revealing the extent of her striped top. “It’s also not like I want to draw an excess of attention to myself and make everyone turn into Otis.”

Otis himself was frozen. He’d turned from the mirror at hearing Eve’s angry voice only to have her shoved into his room with her taking off her clothes in front of him. There was a very solid five centimeters of space between the bottom of her very fitted top and the top of her jeans, and Otis would be a liar if he said he hadn’t noticed how Eve’s ass looked in her jeans before pointedly looking anywhere else. Yep, he definitely wasn’t thinking about how Eve kept her ass hidden away by the hems of her jumpers and blouses.

“Please,” Eric was saying. “Otis has always been nervous around girls, and you’ve got quite a bit to flaunt.”

Eve snatched her cardigan from Eric and flopped on Otis’ bed. “Well you look like a highlighter.”

“At least I’m not monochrome,” Eric shot back. Otis sank down on the little bench at the end of his bed while his friend dug through his records. Eve laughed when the music started.

“I don’t dance,” Otis protested.

“What’s the point of having all this music, then?”

“To listen to. I sit very still, and appreciate the music.” Otis crossed his arms.

“Come on, you know you want to.” Eric tugged up Eve.

“There will be no dancing.” She saw Otis hiding a smile.

Eric pulled her in to dance, so Eve swayed around to the music. Her hips moved in time with the rhythm, her hair brushing across her shoulders. Otis finally gave in, resulting in Eric handing over his hat. They thundered down the stairs.

“Darling! You’re wearing a hat.” Jean had pulled out crisps.

“And I’m all orange!”

“And I’ll be outside.” Eve left the boys to the surefire questioning of Otis’ mum, preferring the front gardens. She wandered through it until they finally emerged, looking completely mortified.

Eve disappeared as soon as the party started filling up, but with Maeve giving orders neither Eric nor Otis were able to search for her. Between hunting for clients, treating a couple, and Eric’s fiasco with the bananas, Otis completely forgot that Eve had been with them. When he finally remembered in the morning, he assumed that his mum had taken her home. She’d actually waited an hour until the party had filled, and had walked back to Otis’ house. Jean had invited her to stay the night, since Eve’s parents expected her to be gone all night.

Eve was asleep on his couch when Otis returned home. She was curled up under a blanket, her cardigan folded on the coffee table and her shoes set underneath. He sighed, but there wasn’t much he could do at that point.

Then came the brief argument with his mother. Eve was standing there, her cardigan wrapped tight around her when he stood to leave. “Otis…” He brushed her off.

When he passed by with his school bag to leave, Otis saw Eve leaning over the back of his mum’s chair, arms wrapped in a hug.

“Boys are so confusing,” Eve was saying.

Eve plopped down next to them at assembly, her cardigan buttoned up the front. Only the tops of the cups on her top peeked from the upper hem. She crossed her arms as soon as she sat, not wanting anyone to look too closely at her. Her body was her business.

“Where were you all night?” Eric accused.

“Obviously not with you lot. I told you I didn’t want to go.”

A piece of paper landed on Otis’ lap.  _ Thank you _ , it read.

“Otis, what did you do?” Eve snatched the paper from him. “Who wrote this?”

They all looked over to the couple Otis helped the night prior. Eve just raised her brows and pocketed the paper.

She got a text from Eric later.  _ They’re doing the clinic _ , it read.

**_Joy of joys. Want to come over later? Something tells me they’ll be busy with that for quite a while_ **

It took a bit for Eric to respond, but when he did it was just to say yes.


	3. The Girl in Plaid Pants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Eve's Feelings lead to a Project, and people start knowing that something's up. Also, in which we find out if I'm good at writing emotions without outright saying what the emotions are.

**Chapter 3**

**The Girl in Plaid Pants**

Eve was mixing paint when Eric stumbled his way into the art room. She’d figured out her landscape and was going to put it on canvas. Eric slumped down in a chair and sighed until Eve gave in with a smile.

“Trouble in cookie paradise with our favorite oatmeal variety?” She brushed on the grey base for a mountain.

“He and Maeve had clinic this morning and he didn’t tell me.”

“I think that’s a breach of privacy.”

“I don’t need to know who he’s seeing, but a heads up so I don’t ride all the way out to his house to have an awkward conversation with Jean would be nice.”

“He’s obsessed with Maeve, I’m not surprised.”

Eric leaned forward in his chair. “Eve, are you jealous?”

“I am not.” Her paintbrush thunked solidly in the water cup.

“You are, you’ve been wearing more plaid.” Eric circled her and tugged on the belt loop of her plaid pants.

“They’re just in season.” Eve faced Eric with her arms crossed. He stared her down until she broke. “Fine! I’m jealous, happy? I’ve been trying not to think about it so I don’t just up and do something I know I’ll regret.”

He pulled her into a hug. “You were here first, remember that.”

“It doesn’t seem to be making much of a difference right now,” she muttered.

Assembly was a shit show. Otis showed up late and Eric practically announced to the entire class how proud he was of Otis’ wet dream about Maeve. Eve fumed silently, sure that she would combust at any moment and they’d have to douse her with freezing water. Otis wasn’t even fazed talking about his personal progress in front of her anymore.

Lunch block was worse. “She’s asking you on a date!” Eric was grinning ear to ear.

“It’s not a date.”

“It’s a date!”

Eve jolted from her seat. “Sorry, forgot I’ve somewhere to be.”

“Oh, okay. See you later?” Otis looked hopeful. Eric just pressed his lips into a line.

“Yeah, sure.” She grabbed her bag and fled to the art room, but try as she might Eve just couldn’t focus on her landscape. Eve put it aside and started sketching directly on a new canvas. Eric found her shortly after the bell rang.

“Is that Otis?”

Well that was just fucking great. Eve screamed and hurled the canvas across the room. “I can’t do this, Eric!” She wrapped her arms around herself and curled inwards. “I can’t stand it.” Eric just held her for a few minutes. She sniffled and wiped her eyes before pulling away. “Enough about me. Your audition is this afternoon, right?”

“Yeah, I’m nervous about it.” Eric shifted the bag with his French horn.

“You’ll do great. Let me know how it goes?” Eve smiled.

“Of course.” Eric tucked the canvas somewhere hidden and walked her out of the art room.

Hours later, after the end of school, Eve faced down the canvas with Otis’ face sketched on it. She stared at it for a good 45 minutes before mixing paints.

Eve disappeared from Otis’ life just as quickly as she’d appeared, though only she and Eric knew why. Eric kept her up to date with all things Otis, hoping that she’d join them again, but every chance she had Eve slipped away to the art room. Canvas after canvas was churned out of portraits in all different styles across history and in a multitude of mediums. The only thing that remained in common was that each canvas was a portrait of Otis. Maybe if she drew him enough, Eve could get him out of her system.

She was working on a post-Impressionist interpretation one day when Eric tumbled in. Eve had gotten in the habit of taking out the pieces while she worked, someone ought to look at them.

“Whoa,” was all he said.

“Please don’t say anything else.”

“Maybe you should talk to Jean.” Eric quietly took photos of all the canvases.

“And tell her what?” Eve rinsed out a brush and grabbed a new one. “Guess what, I’m in love with your son but he loves someone else? What advice do you have for me?”

“Well, yeah.” Eric snapped the last few canvases. “She’s got the best advice.”

He watched as Eve carefully painted the blue of Otis’ eyes, the last bit to be painted. Eric quickly snapped a shot of her in action. “Why do you paint the eyes last?”

“Because then I don’t feel like he’s watching me. If I don’t give him eyes to see with until the last moment, he can’t see how vulnerable I really am.”

Eric texted the photos of all the canvases to Jean later that night.  _ Eve’s been missing Otis. _

**_Jean: Goodness. How long has it been? Otis hasn’t said anything_ **

_ A month. He’s been spending time with Maeve Wiley on a project and I think he’s forgotten her _

**_I’ll see if I can gently bring it up. She’s always welcome to stop by and chat_ **

_ I think she’s afraid. I know you give the best advice, but you being his mum weirds her out _

**_Be sure to give her my number. I’ll check in with Otis_ **


	4. The Girl in Otis' Softest Jumper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Eric is hurt, Otis breaks some furniture, and Eve is stronger than she thinks. Or, all that is the Hedwig episode.

**Chapter 4**

**The Girl in Otis' Softest Jumper**

A month later, Eric burst into the art room, positively giddy. “Eve, you’re coming with us to see  _ Hedwig and the Angry Inch _ !”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“It’s my birthday, and we’re all going out to see  _ Hedwig _ . Dress up and meet us at the bus depot, all right?”

Eve laughed. “Okay, I’ll go. And hey, will you get something out of my bag for me?”

“Sure?” Eric pulled out a wrapped gift. “E, what’s this?”

“You didn’t think I’d forget about your birthday, did you?” Eve set down her things and pulled Eric into a hug. “Happy birthday, Eric.”

“Can I open it?”

“Of course!” He ripped into the paper to find a couple eyeshadow palettes of jewel tones.

“You remembered!”

“I did tell you that jewel tones work best for you.”

“You’re the best, Eve!” Eric picked her up and twirled her around. “Okay, so meet us at the bus depot early, the show starts at 7.”

Later that evening, Eve was on the bus to the depot when she saw Eric walking along the side of the road. “Wait, please stop a moment, that’s my friend!” The bus stopped long enough to drop her off, and drove away. “Wait! Come back, please!”

“It’s no use, Eve.”

“What happened, Eric? Where’s Otis?”

“He has something important to take care of.”

Eve felt herself shut down. “Well, it’s you and I then. Let’s keep going, hm?”

The sun set well before they made it to another stop. Two guys in a sports car drove up and catcalled. When they learned that Eric was in drag, they got out.

“Look, we were just coming from a show,” Eve tried to explain. “We’re just going home.”

“Shut up, slag.” Something hard hit her face, then Eve saw the ground. Hands roved in her coat pocket and took her phone and wallet, when she tried to fight the man off he struck her again. She could hear Eric pleading with the man before another sound of fist hitting skin. When the car drove away, she crawled over.

“Eric?” She hated how quiet her voice was. “Eric, we’ve got to keep going, get somewhere with people.”

They trudged along the road, hoping beyond hope that they’d make it somewhere with a phone. When they did, Eve saw as Eric flinched away from help. Her friend had faced quite a lot, but maybe this was one experience he couldn’t come back from. Eve desperately wished she’d brought one of her jumpers. They brought her comfort and safety, and while it wouldn’t have been much for Eric, at least it would’ve been something.

When Jean arrived to pick them up a half hour later, Eve almost cried. She’d gone from perfectly happy on her own to comfortable with her new friendships to breaking down in front of Otis’ mum and it hadn’t even been six months since she met the troublesome pair. She quietly held Eric’s hand.

Jean magically procured remover wipes before disappearing to her office. Eve sat Eric down in the bathroom and gently removed his makeup. She cleaned the cut on his cheek and brushed the last of the dirt off his costume. By the time she was done, Eric had closed himself off.

And then the fighting started. She heard bits of what was being said as she came downstairs from the bathroom, words that couldn’t be taken back. The door slammed behind Eric and Otis zeroed in on Eve.

“I was just trying to help,” he pleaded.

“I know.”

“I already regret what I said.”

“I know.”

Eve didn’t like looking up at people as a general rule, so when Otis climbed the steps she stayed one above him. It made them equal in height.

“Will you tell me what happened?” Otis’ eyes were so blue, how could she have thought they were any other shade? They were so deep and wise for someone barely older than she was.

Eve crossed her arms in front of her, something Otis knew she did to protect herself. She’d done it for weeks when they briefly passed in the halls and he’d tried to say hi. He deflated just a bit, and then she spoke.

“His things got stolen at the bus depot. My bus was driving past him, and when I asked my driver to let me off he continued on without me. We walked to the next stop, where two guys pulled up and started calling us names. They stole my things and hit Eric. Then we walked until we found a phone and he called your mum.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I was-“

“Taking care of something more important, which based on your recent track record, means Maeve.” Eve hardened in front of Otis’ eyes. “You abandoned us, again.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m afraid for Eric. He’s a brave person, he always has been, but being called names and being hit in the middle of nowhere, where no one can hear you, is terrifying. I’m afraid he’s going to shut us both out and there’s nothing I can do about it.” She shoved him down, one step at a time. “Because you left! You left us for Maeve fucking Wiley! You act like this sweet little cupcake, and come running at her every call, fuck the consequences!”

Otis let her get out her emotions. He took all her little pushes and retreated down the steps, despite the fact that she wasn’t pushing very hard and they both knew it. He waited until he was flat on the floor and Eve had stepped off the last stair.

“Eve, I’m sorry. I got wrapped up, and I know that’s a shit excuse but it’s the truth.”

“You’re lucky I still like sweet boys.”

Otis laughed. “Does this mean I’m forgiven?” He pulled her into a hug. She hissed at the contact of her face against the denim of his jacket. “Are you okay? Were you hit?”

“I’m fine.” She tried to brush off his probing fingers from feeling her face and hissed again when he pressed gently on her left cheekbone.

“Come on.” He tugged her up the stairs to his bedroom and sat her on the bed. Bright lights flicked on. Otis frowned at the growing bruise. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“It wasn’t about me.”

“Well it is now.” Otis sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t like the idea of you going home, not after what happened. Mum might have something for you.”

Eve rose quietly and left in search of Jean, ignoring the sounds of breaking furniture behind her. Jean was in the kitchen, pouring a glass of wine. “Jean.”

“Yes darling?” She quickly took in the brimming tears and set down her glass. “Let’s get you something to wear and throw those clothes in the wash. I’ll call your mum and let her know you’re here.”

A soft, matching pair of flannel pyjamas found their way into Eve’s hands. She was shuffled upstairs to change and when she returned with her dirty clothes, Jean was hanging up the phone.

“Your mum is glad you’re safe. She’s going to get you new cards and a new phone in the coming week and will be speaking with all the companies in the morning. She says to try and get some sleep.” Jean took Eve’s clothes and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Otis is probably in need of some company. I’ll see you in the morning, darling.”

Otis was changed and sprawled out on his bed. “Shove over.” She poked at his ribs. He created some room so Eve could flop down beside him.

The panic set in and the dam broke. Eve felt like she couldn’t breathe as the tears rolled freely down her cheeks. She felt the bed shift and then Otis was there, arms gently tugging her against him for comfort as she cried.

He lent her a jumper in the morning, his softest one. She fiddled with the cuffs in assembly as Otis fielded curious looks from Maeve.

“Firstly, a very serious warning about pornographic images shared on mobile devices. This kind of behavior is not only despicable, but it has very serious consequences that may result in legal action.” Mr. Groff shouldn’t be wearing a sweater vest, Eve decided. “Now, we do not know who sent the photograph in question. However, we are continuing to look into it.”

Insults echoed through the hall until Olivia stood. “It’s my vagina.”

“Sit down.”

“No. That is my vagina in the photo.”

“Sit down.”

“No, it’s my vagina.” Maeve was next.

“Now, thank you Maeve. Settle down please.”

Aimee stood. “You’re both wrong. It’s my vagina.”

“It cannot be all your vaginas.”

Eve shot from her chair, hands placed firmly on her hips. “That’s because it’s my vagina.”

Otis gaped in awe at his friend. His jumper was giant on Eve, he’d forgotten just how small she was in comparison to him. But as she stood in solidarity with the other girls in sixth form, Eve looked like a giant, powerful goddess.


	5. The Girl Who Would Have Said Yes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Always get consent from your partners, folks, and make safe choices.

**Chapter 5**

**The Girl Who Would Have Said Yes**

Eric was avoiding them. He brushed Eve off and pointedly avoided Otis. When they ran into each other at lunch, Eve shared how she’d heard he’d struck a few people. Then his name came over the intercom.

“I’m still worried about him.” Eve stole some of Otis’ candy. He moved the bag away.

“Yeah.” He sighed. “Have you lost your virginity yet?”

Eve raised her brows and leaned over him to snatch the entire bag away. “And why would you want to know that?”

“I think I’m going to lose mine this afternoon.”

“Well that’s a bit soon. With who?” She tried to be nonchalant.

“Lily Inglehart.” When she didn’t respond right away, Otis panicked. “Is that bad?”

“No, just surprising I guess. I would have thought you’d want to do it with someone you’re comfortable with. Like, first times are almost always shit, so better to do it with someone you trust and can talk openly with. That would be my choice, anyways.”

“I just feel like a hypocrite giving out all this sex advice and I haven’t done it myself.” Otis scrubbed at his face. “That’s what Maeve said, at least.”

“And you’re going to listen to Maeve?” Eve tapped their shoulders together.

“No. Yes. I don’t know.”

“Well, have fun with Lily. Text if you need anything.” She stood and mussed up his hair. “For the record, I trust you, so I would’ve said yes if you’d asked.”

It took a few moments for Eve’s words to register. If it were up to her, Eve would’ve had sex with someone she trusted. But if she trusted him enough to have sex with him, was she still a virgin too? If he’d asked, she would’ve agreed… Shit. He hadn’t known that was an option.

He called her later in the evening.

“Hello?”

“It’s me.”

“I know a lot of me’s, myself included.” He could hear the grin in her voice. “What’s up?”

“Would you come over?”

“Sure, I can finally return your jumper. Be over in a few.”

Eve knocked on the door 30 minutes later. Otis came running down the stairs. “I’ve got it, Mum!” He skidded to a stop at the door and yanked it open.

“You’ve got it, hm?” She grinned and held out the jumper. “Here. I was tempted to keep it.”

“You would’ve been a monster. It’s my favorite.” Otis shut the door behind her.

“I couldn’t tell, it’s not like it’s the softest jumper I’ve ever worn.”

“Who was at the door?” Jean called.

“It’s Eve, Mum, I asked her over.”

“Ah, good. Be sure to take it easy, darling.”

Otis shoved Eve towards his room, mortified. He locked the door just as Eve started laughing. “Take it easy? What’s that supposed to mean?”

He groaned and flopped on his bed. “Promise you won’t laugh?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I may have overheated and panicked, called for my mum, and listened to Lily’s alien fantasy story,” Otis blurted.

Eve lay down next to him. “So you didn’t do it.”

“No. We spent 45 minutes just holding hands.”

She turned to look at him. “I told you that you should do it with someone you’re comfortable with.”

He hadn’t noticed that her eyes looked like molten chocolate. The lamp gave them a golden touch, and Otis had never wanted chocolate more than in that moment. Eve licked her lips and broke eye contact.

“Alien sex fantasy. That’s a new one. Was it any good?”

“I don’t know, I was mortified. The plumber called it interesting.”

“The plumber? That is embarrassing.” She paused, weighing her words. “Why did you freak out?”

Otis was quiet for a while before answering. “When I was little, I accidentally discovered my dad sleeping with one of his clients. When I asked Mum about it, she said that sometimes sex hurts people. The memory of them fighting haunts me when I try to do anything.”

“I’m sorry, Otis. That must be hard.”

They lay in silence until Otis spoke again. “I talked with Ola again today.”

“Oh? Hopefully that was more successful than your fainting spell, fairy princess.”

“She gave me her number.”

“Are you gonna text her, or are you gonna look at her number forlornly?” Eve teased.

“I do not look at phone numbers forlornly.”

“Your blatant denial confirms that you do.” She rolled off the bed and rooted through Otis’ records. “So what are you in the mood for today?”

Three records later, Eve had to go. Otis walked her out to the porch.

“Hey, so about earlier.” He held the front door closed. “If I had asked, would you really have agreed?” Otis had to know, it was eating at him.

Eve smiled, but there was a sadness to it that Otis couldn’t quite place. “I’m not sure how much it matters anymore.” She clicked her helmet in place and got on her bike. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She cursed herself the entire way home. Otis was a catch, of course someone else would sneak in before she had the chance. It was stupid to believe she had a chance to begin with, anyways.


	6. The Girl in the Burgundy Dress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which the teenagers Have Problems, alternately called the school dance. All of the speech directly related to Liam's character being on the moon are pulled directly from the show, and thus is credited there.
> 
> Also, some of this has been dramatized in the way that some teenager coming-of-age movies are. Relationships should be mutual, respectful, and healthy, and should not include feeling "less than" as a person compared to the other. We are each our own people, and it is important to remember that no one is "less than" someone else.

**Chapter 6**

**The Girl in the Burgundy Dress**

Eve stared down the posters for the ball. They’d changed her color scheme. It was supposed to be whites and greens, not all blue, and now the entire poster just looked like one big, blue blob slathered on the walls. The posters had been up for weeks, but they never failed to irritate her.

The halls were crowded with people carrying decorations and gossip. The last few people were being asked out in incredibly cheesy ways that made Eve want to gag.

“Are you going?” she asked Otis at lunch.

“No. It’s a sexist tradition.”

“Why not take Ola?” Eve stabbed her pasta.

“She doesn’t even go to our school, Eve. It would probably be awkward to ask, her school likely has its own dance.”

Eve finished her lunch as she thought. Otis seemed lost in his own thoughts as well, so she didn’t bother him. She instead thought about her closet, and what she might wear. They may have changed her design, but Eve wanted to live out a fairy tale just once.

The bell rang; Otis walked her to her locker. Taped to the inside of the door was the original poster for the ball. “Wait, are you going?”

She grabbed her books for her next class and locked the door. “I don’t know. No one’s asked me.”

Otis smacked his hand against the lockers as Eve walked away. She’d done that thing again, where she revealed a third solution to his problems and left.

Eve gave in and drew out a castle after school. She’d looked at her dress options before definitively closing her closet door. She instead pulled on pyjama bottoms and a comfy jumper then settled into her couch to draw.

Around 8 she got a text.  _ You’re not the only one who suggested jewel tones. _ Eve immediately called.

“Eric!”

“Eve!” He sounded like his old self.

“What happened?”

“I was coming home with groceries when a guy pulled up to ask for directions. His nails were amazing, and he suggested I stick with jewel tones. Then I went to church and the pastor was so happy to see me!”

“That’s amazing, I’m so happy for you!”

“Wait, why did you call? Aren’t you at the ball?”

“No one asked me.”

Eric muttered something about smacking sense into Otis before he spoke clearly again. “Well then we’re going. I’ll meet you at Moordale in an hour. Dress to kill.”

Eve ran for her closet. It took her most of the time to change, and when she was ready Eve took a good look at herself in the mirror. Her golden-brown hair was pulled back into a twist, letting her show off her silver earrings. The burgundy dress she’d chosen settled nicely off her shoulders, and the stitching on the bodice didn’t make it bunch weird. The thick tulle exploded from her waist and stopped just under her knees. She’d stuffed her things into a black clutch to match her black heels.

Her mum dropped her off just moments before Eric’s dad pulled up. Eve waited patiently by the doors and grinned when Eric saw her. He looked fantastic in his bright suit, not to mention his emerald green headpiece, his perfect makeup, and the touch of the drop earring. She happily linked her arm with his when he approached her and brushed off Adam.

They stopped in the doorway to the hall when everyone turned and stared.

“Okay,” Eric murmured. “Now what?”

“We have a good time. Come on.” Eve pulled him off to a table.

When a slow song started, Eric stood at the edge of the crowd, Eve remaining at the table. A voice made her jump.

“You look stunning.”

“Otis!” She really needed to teach him how to pair patterns together.

“Do you mind if I steal your date for a few minutes?”

Eve smiled. “Have at. I think he really misses you.”

She watched as they made up, then danced. They looked absolutely ridiculous, and that was how it should be. Eve stood to join them.

“Lizzie!” The shout came from above. The music stopped and Eve could hear her heartbeat as she rushed over to the boys. She latched on to Otis’ jacket sleeve.

“Stop, Liam don’t!” Eric took Eve’s hand when Otis stepped forward. “Don’t do this. You don’t wanna jump.”

“No, I think I do.” Liam gripped the moon.

“You don’t. Look, sometimes the people we like don’t like us back, and it’s painful but there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“You don’t understand.”

“I do, I do understand. I know what it’s like when someone doesn’t feel the same way about you, someone you can’t stop thinking about. It hurts. But you can’t make people like you.”

“I don’t like her. I love her.”

“I know. But love isn’t about grand gestures, or the moon and the stars. It’s just dumb luck. And sometimes, you meet someone who feels the same way. And sometimes you’re unlucky. But one day, you’re gonna meet someone who appreciates you for who you are. I mean, there’s seven billion people on the planet, I’m sure one of them is going to climb onto the moon for you.”

Eve pressed her lips together and looked down at the floor. Eric squeezed her hand.

“Really?”

“Yeah, you’re brilliant! You’re very dedicated. You’re gonna make someone very happy one day.”

“But it will not be me.” Lizzie spoke up.

“Not Lizzie, definitely not Lizzie, but someone. And it won’t happen if you fall off that moon and die.”

Eve used the distraction of the ensuing chaos after Liam fell to escape. She needed some time alone, time to turn over Otis’ words in her head. His words weren’t for her, they usually weren’t. If he was the Milky Way, then she was just a planet, doomed to exist in his influence but not any more special than the other planets. She took a walk around the hallways and stumbled on the end of a conversation between Otis, Maeve and Jackson.

“You’re right, we’re done.” Maeve carted off Jackson, leaving a confused Otis behind. Eve tugged on the hem of his jacket.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She watched as Otis schooled his features into a small smile. “Let’s go inside.”

They stumbled upon Dan, one of Jean’s recurring partners, when the three dragged themselves into Otis’ house. Eve plopped down at the kitchen table and took off her shoes. She was pulling the pins from her hair when Otis clicked open a file on his mum’s laptop.

_ Bringing up Men _ , it read,  _ Profile of a Post-Pubescent Boy with Sexual Phobias _ .

Eve gasped. “Oh my god.” She slammed the laptop closed. “Maybe it’s not what we think it is. Maybe, maybe it’s based off research she’s done, or a new client.”

“She wouldn’t write about you,” Eric added. “It’s gotta be a mistake.”

“Let’s have a movie night.” Eve tugged on his shirtsleeve. “I’ll steal your favorite jumper if you’re not quick.” She sprinted off, only to be lifted from the stairs. Otis cut in front of her, Eric close behind. “You’re dead, Milburn!”

Otis and Eric were waiting for her when she skidded into the room. Arms wrapped around her and picked her up again. Eve shrieked when she landed on the bed, her hair a mess and the tulle of her skirts bunched around her. She blew the hair from her face in annoyance when they started laughing. In retaliation, Eve tucked her feet up under the tulle and smoothed down her hair, drawing it all over one shoulder so that one remained bare.

“Joke’s on you, I’m the real princess this evening.” She sighed dramatically. “Now if only I had a prince.”

Eric shoved Otis forwards. “I’m the other princess here, so it looks like you’re up.” Otis was practically pink.

Eve wondered how far she could push him. She extended one hand out for Otis to take, which he hesitated at before falling into character. “Oh if the princess would only accept a sap like me,” he bemoaned.

She pretended to think. “It’s a good thing I like sweet boys.” Eve tugged Otis down and rolled so she pinned him. “Now where’s that super soft jumper?” Eric burst out into laughter, Otis following shortly after. Eve grinned, her plan a success.

“It’s in the closet,” Otis choked out between laughs. Eve wiggled off him and he choked for a different reason. He propped himself up on his elbows, his eyes glued to Eve as she flounced to his closet, grabbed his favorite jumper, and left, likely in search of his mum to raid her closet.

“Is that a boner?” Eric wasted no time.

Otis sighed. “Yes.” He flopped back against his bed. It dipped as Eric sat.

“You’re either going to get rid of it or act on it.” Otis just groaned. “It’s your choice.” Eric rooted around for the spare set of pyjamas he left just for movie nights and changed. Otis willed away his problem and followed suit, only to be startled by frustrated sounds coming from his bathroom.

Eric made for the door. “I’ve got this.”

Eve had only gotten about half of the buttons that ran down her bodice undone. She thunked into a wall trying to maneuver herself and froze when the bathroom door opened to reveal Eric. She smiled sheepishly and turned around. Eric quietly undid the rest of the buttons and closed the door behind him.

“What are you playing at?”

“My shot.” She shimmied out of her dress to pull on her borrowed clothes. “Ola walked away, and Maeve is upset. If I don’t try to take a shot now, I’m afraid I never will.”

Eric sighed, but said nothing else. She followed him back to Otis’ room and hung up her dress.

Otis spent the rest of the evening torn between trying to make a decision on how to deal with all the women in his life and trying not to focus on Eve in his favorite jumper.


	7. The Girl Painting Forget-Me-Nots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, the end for now. So many questions unanswered. Or in which Otis finally realizes some things.

**Chapter 7**

**The Girl Painting Forget-Me-Nots**

Eve got a call from Jean during her lunch. “Eve, I think I might have made a mistake.”

“What happened?”

“Otis found my new book.”

Shit, he must have confronted her about it. “What’s so bad about that? I thought you wanted to get back into writing.”

“Well, it’s about him and his… sexual progress.”

“Jean! That’s awful!”

“I know! But I felt like I was losing him, and I thought that maybe if I wrote about his progress I’d understand him better.”

“Well I can understand why he’d be upset about it. Is he talking to you?”

“No. He ripped up the newspaper this morning and left a revised copy of the first chapter on the table.”

“That’s new.”

“I thought you might have some ideas on what to do.”

Eve thought for a few moments while Jean fidgeted on the other side of the line. “I think you should apologize and tell him the real reason why you started that book. He’s embarrassed, and while writing about him out of love wasn’t the best option, I’m sure he’ll understand.”

Jean sighed. “Thank you, darling.”

“Good luck, Jean.”

“And Eric told me about your portraits. I think you should be honest with Otis too.”

“He likes Ola, Eric confirmed it this morning.”

“He may like Ola, but he won’t stop talking about you. Think on it.”

Her name came over the intercom at that moment. “I have to go, Jean. Let me know how things turn out.” Eve fielded texts from Eric until she arrived at Mr. Groff’s office.

“It has come to my attention that you’ve been spending quite a bit of time in the art rooms, Ms. McKinley.”

“I have,” Eve hedged, unsure of where the headteacher was going with this line of questioning.

“I assume you’ve been working on some kind of project. There is a country-wide art competition coming up in September, and I should like you to enter your work. It’s a multi-piece design intended to show the flexibility of the competing artists.” Mr. Groff folded his hands on his desk. “When would we be able to see what you’ve been working on?”

She panicked. All the pieces were the portraits of Otis, if she entered those then things were sure to be fucked. Not to mention the absolute mortification and irony of being symbolically fucked by the boy she had a crush on, while failing to actually have sex with said boy. Eve had to come up with an excuse.

“Ah, you see, I’d been going in to sketch. I haven’t actually put much paint to canvas, just working on ideas.”

“Well when you have something, I should like to see it, hopefully before the competition. You are dismissed.”

Eric caught up with her in the hall. “What was that about?”

“Groff wants me to enter a huge art competition in the fall.”

“But you’ve been working on the portraits for the past few months.”

“I know. I have to figure it out, I suppose.”

Eve stared at the portraits that afternoon. Half a dozen Otises stared back at her. From the romantics to the impressionist to the surreal, Eve had painted Otis so many different ways to try to get him out of her head. If anything, it only made it worse, as her thoughts spiralled with all the details she knew about him. But it seemed she was one of the unlucky ones.

She glared at one in particular. She’d been particularly annoyed by the blue of Otis’ eyes when she’d started it, so she’d pulled inspiration from Magritte. Otis’ face was mostly covered by a forget-me-not blossom painted in the shades of blue in his eyes. If she hadn’t spent hours agonizing over the right shades of blue, she’d hidden enough of the face that she wouldn’t know who was in the painting.

Eve gasped. “Of course!” She quickly packed up the canvas for transport and rode to Otis’ house. When she arrived, there was someone standing at the top of the stairs. It was Maeve.

Below them, in the garden, was Ola and Otis. Maeve had a tight grip on a jumper. Eve felt her eyes widen when Otis kissed Ola, then she glanced over at Maeve. Her jaw was set so tight it might crack. “You too?” Eve ventured.

Luckily Maeve knew exactly what Eve meant. “Yeah.” She turned and left.

Eve was jolted back to reality when Ola started to move. She took off her helmet and attached it to the handlebars of her bike, making it look like she had just arrived. She was about to walk the bike down the garden steps when Ola appeared in front of her.

“Oh hey, I didn’t see you there. Eve, right?” Damn Ola for looking good in a knit dress.

“Yeah, hi Ola.” The front door slammed behind Otis, causing both girls to turn and look. “I guess he really needed to get inside.”

“I guess so.” Ola leaned around to look at the bag with the canvas inside. “Are you an artist?”

“Yeah, this is just something I’ve been playing with. Jean wanted to see it,” Eve lied.

“Oh, well don’t let me stop you. I’ll see you at school!” Ola waved.

Eve knocked on the front door, which was thankfully opened by Jean. “Come in, darling, I wasn’t expecting you. Do you need Otis?”

“No, I actually came to see you. I wanted to talk.”

“Of course. Let’s go to my office.” Eve followed Jean further into the house and into a side room. She set the bag down. “What did you want to talk about?”

“I’d like to talk about Otis, if you don’t mind, and about what you said earlier on the phone.” She sat in a chair, not knowing that it was one Jean kept for clients. Jean sat in her usual chair, not quite sure how to feel about one of her son’s friends coming to see her to chat about her son, despite having told Eric months ago that it was fine.

“Ah, that. Have you given it some thought?” Jean folded her hands in her lap.

“I have. And I think that for now, it’s best to keep it to myself. It will be hard, considering that I painted half a dozen portraits of him in an effort to work him from my head and he just kissed Ola outside not ten minutes ago.”

“I see. Did you bring one of the paintings?”

“I did. Mr. Groff noticed all the time I was spending in the art rooms and wants me to enter into an art competition with the pieces I’ve done. It’s a horrible idea to submit most of what I’ve done, but this one gave me an idea.” Eve pulled out the canvas and handed it over. “I thought perhaps I’d do portraits like this one, where the face remains covered, so it takes knowing the subject personally to know who it is. I can’t very well ask Otis if it’s okay to use the painting since it would lead to questions of why I painted him, but since you know the extent of things I thought that I’d get your permission.”

Unbeknownst to them, Otis was passing by outside and paused at the sound of his name.

“It’s a forget-me-not,” his mum was saying.

A sigh sounded. “Yeah. It is.”

“I don’t see a problem with it, most of the revealing features are covered. I wouldn’t have known who it was if you hadn’t told me.”

“That was the hope. I was also hoping that maybe I could paint you and create a series out of this.”

“That’s a lovely idea, Eve. Now, why don’t you tell me a bit more about why you’ve been painting Otis, and then we can get to other things.”

Otis panicked. Eve was in there, and his mum was about to give her therapy. If that wasn’t bad enough, he was the main topic! He backed away from the door, only to return hours later. Eve and Jean were on the couch in the living room watching About Time, Eve’s favorite movie, but he wouldn’t be missed for just a few minutes.

He slid open the door to his mum’s office. Leaned against the opposite wall was a canvas, the back facing him. Otis turned it around to see a man with a mop of brown hair and a blue forget-me-not where the face ought to be.

Eve had been painting him. This was most likely him, and she had been keeping secrets from him. Normally, Otis would respect that everyone had a right to keep secrets, but when put into the perspective of her potential flirts, things clicked into place.

While he was chasing after Maeve and kissing Ola, Eve had been painting forget-me-nots.


End file.
